The 49ers confirmed a quarterback deal Thursday afternoon, though it was merely the signing of journeyman Thad Lewis rather than a potential trade of Colin Kaepernick.

Lewis signed the one-year deal he agreed to Wednesday, when free agency commenced. For now, he joins a quarterback crew that includes Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert and Dylan Thompson.

“I have no inclination of what’s going to happen in the quarterback room,” Lewis said on a media conference call. “My expectation is to help this team and better them, in terms of winning the NFC West first, then getting to the playoffs.”

Lewis is the only one of that quarterback quartet that’s played – or practiced, actually – under coach Chip Kelly. They were together last season with the Philadelphia Eagles but Lewis never was active for a game, as the Eagles instead utilized Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez.

“Obviously I made an impression on him and he made an impression on me,” Lewis said. “I liked the offense and how he did things, and I respect him as a coach.

“He’s a very smart, intelligent man that knows the game of football,” Lewis added. “He’s had success because of that, and you get a sense of that when you sit down with him and talk X’s and O’s. You see that on the football field when your game plan is working pretty well and when it’s rolling.”

Lewis sees himself as a good fit for Kelly’s system because, in his words, it stresses a quarterback’s ability to quickly diagnosis defensive coverages and, when needed, run for a first down.

“You’ve got to be able to see coverage, read coverage, and be able to identity what defense is in very fast in order to be successful, especially when you’re going (up) tempo,” Lewis said.

“… You have to make that split-second decision because now you’re going fast. That comes from your preparation during the week, knowing what the defense is going to be in.”

Lewis joined the Eagles after their second game last season – they started 0-2 – and tried to quickly learn a system that he’s happily back in with the 49ers. Lewis didn’t dispute the simplicity of that scheme.

“The game is made to be easy, so it’s not for a coach to go out and make the game harder than what it needs to be,” Lewis said. “It’s simple enough for the guys to go out there and do things they need to do to the best of their ability and play fast. That’s why it’s a fast-tempo offense.”

Lewis called Kelly’s people skills “great” and that he’ll treat players as professionals, as long as they come in and do the job asked of them.

The 49ers are Lewis’ seventh team since entering the league in 2010 as an undrafted free agent from Duke. He’s also been with the Rams, Browns (twice), Lions, Bills and Texans.

Lewis has appeared in only seven career games: one with the 2012 Browns, and six with the 2013 Bills. He went 2-3 as a Bills starter that season, completing 59.2 percent of his passes for 1,092 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.